the days of my life-第48部分

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minated　my　mind。　In　short；　Mr。　Gladstone　turned　one　who　in　all　essentials　would　have　been　a　moderate　Liberal　into　an　Imperialist　who　made　the　mistake；　that　is　mon　to　those　who　“think　in　continents；”　of　underrating　the　needs　and　circumstances　of　the　Home　Country。　The　Empire　is　very　large　and　England　is　very　small。　So　is　the　heart　small　in　proportion　to　a　great　body；　but　after　all　it　is　an　important　organ；　and　if　it　bees　diseased　or　stops　—　what　happens　to　the　body？　Even　today；　when　the　Colonies　are　more　powerful　than　they　were　a　score　of　years　ago；　they　would　find　this　question　awkward　to　answer；　since　there　are　peoples　who；　in　such　an　event　as　the　stoppage　of　our　national　heart；　might　be　anxious　to　possess　themselves　of　a　limb　or　two　of　that　weakened　or　paralysed　body。　Indeed；　as　we　see　by　many　signs；　this　is　a　fact　whereof　the　Dominions　have　bee　painfully　aware　in　these　latter　days。　Realising　that　an　empire　cannot　be　kept　together　merely　by　taxing　the　Mother　Country’s　goods　and　affording　homes　for　such　of　her　surplus　population　as　it　suits　them　to　receive；　they　now　show　themselves　eager　to　adopt　a　scheme　of　Imperial　Preference　and　to　bear　some　share　of　the　cost　of　her　armaments。　There　they　are　surely　wise；　since　if　England　falls；　say　within　the　next　fifty　years；　then　—　God　help　these　half…empty　lands；　one　of　which　at　least　has　been　reduced　to　the　strange　expedient　of　offering　a　money　bonus　for　every　child　born　within　its　coasts！
In　the　future；　however；　all　this　may　change；　it　is　even　possible　that　they　may　bee　the　protectors　of　the　worn…out　and　decrepit　parent　from　which　they　sprang。　Absit　omen！
My　first　chance　of　entering　Parliament　occurred　in　1893；　e　speeches　that　I　had　made　and　certain　letters　I　had　written　in　the　papers；　I　was　asked　if　I　would　contest　King’s　Lynn。　I　declined　because　of　the　expense　and　the　difficulty　of　getting　backwards　and　forwards　between　my　home　and　the　borough；　since　this　was　before　the　day　of　motors。　Herein　I　was　foolish；　that　is　if　I　wished　to　enter　politics；　since　I　think　I　could　have　won　that　seat　easily　enough；　and　it　would　have　been　much　less　costly　to　fight　and　hold　than　a　county　constituency。
A　couple　of　years　later　the　question　arose　again。　By　this　time；　as　I　have　explained；　I　was　utterly　weary　of　a　retired　life　and　of　the　writing　of　books；　from　which　I　sought　eagerly　for　some　avenue　of　escape。
My　letters　in　The　Times　on　matters　connected　with　South　Africa　had　attracted　some　notice；　and　as　a　result　I　was　again　brought　into　contact　with　those　interested　in　the　affairs　of　that　country。　Ultimately　I　was　elected　Chairman　of　the　Anglo…African　Writer’s　Club；　a　pleasant　and　useful　dining　society　that　is　now　defunct。　Also　I　became　co…director　of　a　weekly　paper　called　the　African　Review；　which　some　years　ago　was　absorbed　by　another　journal。　It　was　a　very　good　paper　of　its　sort　—　too　good　for　the　market　to　which　it　appealed　—　and　run　on　the　most　straightforward　lines。　The　end　of　these　activities　was　that；　greatly　daring；　I　entered　into　a　partnership　with　my　fellow…director；　who　was　a　financier　in　the　African　market；　with　whom　it　was　understood　that　I　should　stand　for　Parliament；　with　the　general　idea　of　giving　my　attention　to　African　affairs　in　the　House　of　mons。
Mercifully　the　thing　miscarried；　for　had　it　been　otherwise　I　might　have　had　to　bear　upon　my　shoulders　much　of　the　burden　of　the　Parliamentary　defence　of　the　inspirers　and　perpetrators　of　the　Jameson　Raid；　which　would　have　been　neither　a　pleasant　nor　an　easy　task。
The　constituency　which　I　was　weak　enough　to　undertake　to　contest　was；　and　still　remains；　one　of　the　most　difficult　in　the　kingdom　from　the　Conservative　point　of　view　—　namely；　East　Norfolk。　In　the　old　days　before　the　lowering　of　the　franchise　it　was　represented　by　the　late　Sir　Edward　Birkbeck；　who；　however；　after　that　event　was　defeated　by　a　majority　of　440　by　Mr。　（now　Sir　R。　J。）　Price；　a　gentleman　unconnected　with　the　county。　Seeing　the　hopelessness　of　winning　the　seat；　Sir　Edward　Birkbeck　made　no　further　attempt　in　that　direction；　and　the　late　Colonel　MacCalmont　was　invited　to　take　his　place。　He　came；　he　saw；　and　he　retired；　like　a　wise　man；　leaving　me　to　fill　his　shoes。
I　may　as　well　state　the　result　at　once。　I　reduced　the　adverse　majority　to　198。　Since　that　time　sundry　other　Unionists　have　fought　the　place；　with　the　result　that　on　each　occasion　it　has　risen。　I　believe　that　at　the　last　election　it　reached　the　grand　total　of　somewhere　about　1200。
My　programme　was　Unionist　and　Agricultural。　I　quote　a　few　lines　from　the　speech　which　I　made　when　I　was　selected　as　a　Conservative　candidate；　as　it　puts　my　position　in　a　nutshell。
These　are　the　measures　that　I　would　suggest　as　a　means　towards　that　remedial　legislation　to　which　you　are　entitled。　First　I　am　of　opinion　that　the　60；000　pounds　per　annum　at　present　raised　by　Land…tax　in　this　country　should　be　kept　at　home　and　should　go　to　the　relief　of　the　Poor…rate　in　the　districts　in　which　it　is　collected。　Secondly　I　would　advocate　that　foreign　barley　ing　into　this　country；　unless　it　be　crushed　barley　to　be　used　as　food　for　cattle；　should　be　subjected　to　an　import　duty。　Such　a　duty　could　in　no　way　raise　the　price　of　food…stuffs；　for　men　do　not　eat　barley；　and　even　when　it　was　at　nearly　double　its　present　cost；　the　price　of　beer　was　very　much　what　it　is　today。　But　I　do　not　suggest　that　the　millions　of　money　to　be　raised　by　such　a　tax　should　go　into　the　pockets　of　the　landlords。　I　suggest　that　it　should　go　into　the　pockets　of　the　people；　I　suggest　that　every　farthing　of　it　should　be　devoted　to　a　most　truly　democratic　end；　to　the　end　of　an　Old　Age　Pension　Scheme。　This；　I　think；　might　be　worked　through　the　aid　of　the　present　Friendly　Societies。　I　think　that　through　this　means　the　State　might　be　able　to　put　down　an　extra　shilling　for　every　shilling　that　has　been　saved　by　individual　industry　and　invested　with　those　Societies；　and　might　thereby　save　many　a　deserving　man　from　penury　and　the　workhouse　whose　only　crime　against　society　is　that　he　has　grown　old　and　feeble　in　its　service。　I　suggest　again　that　a　bill　should　be　passed　to　relieve　pure　beer　of　a　proportion　of　the　taxation　upon　it；　and　to　impose　that　proportion　of　taxation　so　remitted　on　impure　beer　—　that　is；　beer　made　of　other　materials　than　malt　and　hops。　I　propose　again　that　foreign　flour　should　be　taxed。　In　saying　this　I　do　not　wish　to　be　misunderstood。　I　do　not　wish　to　see　an　impost　put　upon　food…stuffs　—　let　the　corn　e　in　free　by　all　means；　I　say；　but　do　not　let　it　e　in　free　in　a　manufactured　condition。　Why　should　not　our　millers　have　the　benefit　of　the　grinding　of　that　corn？　Why　should　not　our　farmers　have　the　benefit　of　the　offal　and　other　products？
I　think　that　is　enough　to　quote；　for；　oh！　what　dreary　things　are　old　political　speeches。　Not　for　five　shillings　would　I　read　through　all　the　columns　of　this　one　of　mine　that　once　upon　a　time　seemed　to　me　about　the　most　important　thing　in　the　whole　world！
I　hope；　however；　that　the　reader　will　note　the　allusion　to　Old　Age　Pensions。　Now　these　have　e　about；　but　on　easier　terms　than　I　suggested。　The　Protective　part　of　my　policy　was　moderate　enough　and；　I　think；　would　have　been　useful。　But　it　did　me　more　harm　than　good；　since　what　I　had　said　was　of　course　distorted　in　the　usual　fashion。
The　fight　raged　for　some　months　and　was　very　severely　contested；　especially　during　the　last　six　weeks　or　so　after　the　Government　had　gone　out；　which　I　spent　on　board　a　wherry　cruising　from　part　to　part　of　that　wide　and　awkward　constituency。　I　believe　there　are　persons　who　take　to　wherrying　as　a　pastime；　but　so　unpleasant　are　my　associations　with　that　form　of　lootion　that　never　would　I　again　willingly　set　foot　upon　one　of　those　lumbering　boats。　Sometimes　I　had　to　address　three　meetings　a　day；　and　always　there　was　one　or　more；　besides　innumerable　visits　and　much　letter…writing。　My　old　friend　Arthur　Cochrane　was　my　panion　in　this　adventure；　as　in　many　others；　and　nobly　did　he　work。
The　burden　of　the　meetings　and；　still　worse；　of　the　smoking　concerts　fell　mostly　on　us　two；　for；　a　General　Election　being　in　progress；　but　little　help　was　forthing　from　outside。　I　would　speak　for　half　an　hour　or　forty　minutes　to　an　audience　mainly　posed　of　agricultural　labourers；　some　of　whom　—　they　were　nearly　all　partisans　of　the　other　side　—　were　wont　to　express　their　active　dislike　of　me　and　my　opinions　by　making　hideous　noises　resembling　those　of　the　lower　animals　in　pain。　One　man　used　to　follow　me　about　and　“baa”　like　a　sheep　in　the　front　row。　He　only　stopped　when　Cochrane　began　his　ic　songs；　which　I　suppose　appealed　to　such　intelligence　as　he　possessed。
I　think　these　ic　songs　were　the　most　popular　part　of　the　proceedings。　Also　they　were　necessary；　as　my　opponent　was　a　master　of　this　form　of　entertainment　and　was　said　to　owe　much　of　his　popularity　to　a　ditty　called　“The　Baby　on　the　Shore。”　Alas！　in　this　matter　I　could　not　hope　to　pete　with　him。　When　the　meeting　was　over　my　wife　and　I；　with　Cochrane　and　some　other　ladies；　used　to　emerge　and　face　the　booing　without；　which　sometimes　was　acpanied　by　hustling　and　stone…throwing。
The　odd　thing　is　that；　but　for　an　accident；　or　rather　a　piece　of　carelessness；　I　should；　I　believe；　have　won　after　all。　When　I　was　making　my　tour　of　the　constituency　on　the　day　of　the　election　I　called　in　at　the　head　office　at　Yarmouth　and　chanced　to　notice　a　huge　pile　of　letters　which　stood　as　high　as　the　writing…desk　in　the　room　—　there　must　have　been　several　hundreds　of　them。　I　asked　the　agent　what　they　were。　He　replied　with　some　hesitation　that　they　were　polling…cards　returned　by　the　Dead　Letter　Office　marked　“Not　known。”　It　seemed　that　the　addresses　of　the　out…voters　had　not　been　checked　for　years；　and　therefore　these　persons；　of　whom　practically　every　one；　as　owners　of　property　and　Conservatives；　would　have　voted　for　me；　had　never　received　my　polling…card　and；　consequently；　did　not　put　in　an　appearance。　Moreover；　there　were　individuals　in　the　constituency　itself　who　did　not　receive　their　polling…cards；　while　other　out…voters　who　did　receive　them　were　sent　to　the　wrong　polling…places；　and　arrived　there　too　late　to　reach　the　stations　at　which　their　votes　could　be　legally　recorded。　I　remember　a　piteous　letter　from　a　gentleman　who　had　travelled　all　the　way　from　Cornwall；　reaching　Norwich　somewhere　about　7　P。M。；　only　to　discover　that　he　must　vote　at　Yarmouth　within　an　hour；　which　of　course　he　was　unable　to　do。　When　one　considers　how　paratively　small　was　the　number　of　votes　necessary　to　turn　the　scale　in　my　favour；　it　is　easy　to　understand　what　this　blundering　meant　to　me。　Still；　for　reasons　that　I　have　already　given；　I　do　honestly　believe　that　all　was　for　the　best。
Although　I　might　have　done　so　more　than　once；　never　again　have　I　stood　for　Parliament。　To　tell　the　truth；　the　whole　business　disgusts　me　with　its　atmosphere　of　falsehood；　or　at　the　least　of　prevarication；　and　its　humiliating　quest　of　support。　In　such　struggles　in　Britain　there　is；　it　is　true；　little　actual　corruption；　but　of　indirect　corruption　there　is　still　a　great　deal。　From　the　moment　a　candidate　appears　on　the　field　he　is　fair　game；　and　every　man’s　hand　is　in　his　pocket。　Demands　for　“your　patronage　and　support”　fall　on　him；　thick　as　leaves　in　Vallombrosa。　I　remember　that　I　was　even　pestered　to　supply　voters　with　wooden　legs！　Why　should　an　election　in　a　county　division　cost；　as　this　one　did；　something　over　2000　pounds　in　all？
Some　years　before　this　time　my　brother　Alfred　conceived　the　plan　of　obtaining　some　great　concession　of　land　and　minerals　from　Lobengula。　He　was；　I　recollect；　angry　with　me　because　I　would　not　enter　into　his　scheme　with　enthusiasm；　and　I　think　has　never　quite　forgiven　me　my　backwardness。　But　I　knew　a　good　deal　about　the　Matabele；　also　I　held　that　Lobengula　would　never　grant　him　what　he　wanted　unless　it　was　wrung　from　him　by　force　of　arms。　Indeed　I　am　convinced　to　this　day　that　no　one　except　Cecil　Rhodes；　with　his　vast　mand　of　money；　could　have　dispossessed　this　tyrant　and　annexed　those　great　territories。
I　did　not　know　Cecil　Rhodes　in　Africa；　where　we　never　crossed　each　other’s　paths；　indeed　I　think　he　arrived　there　only　towards　the　end　of　my　time。　We　first　met　in　London；　I　believe　somewhere　about　the　year　1888；　when　I　was　asked　to　meet　him　at　the　National　Liberal　Club。　At　that　time　he　was　little　known；　I　do　not　think　that　I　had　ever　heard　of　him　before。　He　impressed　me　a　good　deal；　and　I　remember　his　explaining　to　me　in　great　detail　the　provisions　of　a　measure　he　was　introducing　into　the　Cape　Parliament　—　I　think　it　was　the　Glen　Grey　Act　—　in　such　detail；　indeed；　that　I　lost　the　thread　of　the　thing　and　grew　bewildered。　Rhodes　could　rarely　be　persuaded　to　write　a　letter；　but　my　recollection　is　that　he　could　talk　at　a　great　pace　when　he　was　in　the　mood。
When　he　was　in　England；　just　before　the　Jameson　Raid；　I　saw　Rhodes　several　times；　for　it　was　then　that　the　African　people　were　anxious　that　I　should　stand　for　Parliament。　I　remember　going　to　breakfast　with　him　at　the　Burlington　Hotel。　He　was　then　at　the　height　of　his　success；　and　the　scene　was　very　curious。　Already　before　breakfast　a　number　of　people；　some　of　them　well　known；　who　were　not　asked　to　that　meal；　were　waiting　about　in　ante…rooms　on　the　chance　of　getting　a　word　with　or　favour　from　the　great　man。　It　reminded　me　of　a　picture　I　have　seen　of　Dr。　Johnson　and　others　hanging　about　in　the　vestibule　of；　I　think；　Lord　Chesterfield’s　apartment　for　a　like　object。　There　was　the　same　air　of　patient　expectancy　upon　their　faces。　In　a　china　bowl　on　a　table　I　observed　a　great　accumulation　of　unopened　letters；　most　of　which　had　a　kind　of　society　look　about　them；　probably　they　were　invitations　and　so　forth。　It　was；　I　have　understood；　one　of　the　habits　of　the　Rhodes　entourage　not　to　trouble　to　open　letters　that　came　by　post。　Unless　these　were　of　known　importance　they　only　attended　to　those　that　were　sent　by　hand；　or　to　telegrams；　and　the　replies　were　generally　verbal　or　telegraphic。　Perhaps　this　was　owing　to　press　of　business；　or　perhaps　to　a　pose；　or　to　a　bination　of　both。
The　last　time　that　I　ever　saw　Rhodes　must　have　been　about　a　year　later；　probably　when　he　was　in　England　after　the　Jameson　Raid　affair。　I　went　to　call　on　him　on　some　matter　—　I　entirely　forget　what　it　was　—　at　the　Burlington　Hotel；　and　found　him　alone。　We　talked　for　a　long　while；　though　again　I　forget　the　subject　of　our　conversation。　What　I　remember　is　the　appearance　of　the　man　as　he　paced　restlessly　up　and　down　the　long　room　like　a　lion　in　a　cage；　throwing　out　his　words　in　jerky；　isolated　sentences；　and　in　a　curious　high　voice　that　sometimes　almost　attained　to　a　falsetto。　He　gave　me　the　idea　of　being　in　a　very　nervous　state；　as　I　dare　say　was　the　case。
His　was　one　of　those　big；　mixed　natures　of　which　it　is　extremely　difficult　to　form　a　just　opinion。　My　own；　for　what　it　is　worth；　is　that　he　loved　his　country　and　desired　above　all　things　to　advance　her　interests；　also　that　he　was　personally　very　ambitious。　He　set　great　ends　before　himself　and　went　to　work　to　attain　them　at　any　cost。　To　begin　with；　he　saw　that　money　was　necessary；　so　he　rubbed　shoulders　with　speculators；　with　Jews；　with　anybody　who　was　useful；　and　by　means　of　this　deal　or　that　deal　made　the　money；　not　for　its　own　sake；　but　that　he　might　use　it　to　fulfil　the　purposes　of　his　busy　and　far…reach